Fig Rig Yes/No? at DVinfo.net

Mark Dalzell · August 4th, 2009, 12:21 PM

Anyone have or used the Fig Rig? I'm looking to pick one up. Any first hand advice
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Mark

Perrone Ford · August 4th, 2009, 01:14 PM

What do you need to do with it? I like mine, but I had very specific uses for it.

Jo Ouwejan · August 5th, 2009, 03:53 AM

I made my own imitation of the FigRig. A 100% copy as far as the normal use. It is fine for shooting things while walking. But one thing that needs to be said is, that you have to train yourself walking with bended knees. First trials mostly fail . .

Richard Gooderick · August 5th, 2009, 11:28 AM

I don't know what you want to know Mark.
It works very well in certain situations. Mostly when you are trying to cover stuff as it happens.
It works even better with a lanc remote controller mounted on the Fig Rig with push autofocus and zoom.
Ocean Pearl on Vimeo
Here's something I shot last Sunday with a Sony A1 in a sports housing mounted in a Fig Rig. This combination is completely weatherproof. It was a tryout to see if it worked.
A big problem with the sports housing is that you view the LCD screen on the camera via a mirror bolted onto the housing. Filming via a mirror image doesn't sound a big deal until you try it. Very difficult, but I think it can be learnt. And the LCD was difficult to see in bright sunlight.
However the Fig Rig performed really well. You can see that the shots when I was standing up (not sitting down) in the boat are pretty smooth. The movement of the boat is absorbed by the flexing of your legs and arms.
This works on dry land too.
A lot of the shots aren't very level but that was mainly because of the mirror image problem (you tilt left and it tilts right, pan right and it pans left etc) and because the LCD was difficult to see.
Another occasion when it was invaluable was filming a group of people in the countryside on a map reading course. It was easy to move around them smoothly and seamlessly. After a short while they forgot that I was there.
It's not as smooth as Steadicam Merlin of course. I have one of these too. But the Merlin is even more specialised because you can't touch the camera controls or add microphones etc when you are using it.
For relatively static work over long periods a shoulder mount or tripod would be better eg less strenuous and more stable.
Horses for courses. As they say in the UK.

Andy Wilkinson · August 5th, 2009, 12:13 PM

Richard,

Nice, music matched perfectly too. I particularly liked the more distant shots in the second half of the video.

I've used a Fig Rig (a good video mate I sometimes work with has one) and it's an excellent solution if you use a LANC controller and go to the gym before the shoot to build up the biceps for extended out in front of you type posture that is needed. I've used it with a "fully loaded" Sony HC1 (Sony wide angle, Cavison Hood and Rode Stereo Video mic, i.e. not very heavy) but would hesitate to recommend it for a heavier camera (like my EX3).... so you already know I'm no muscle man!

Walker Hicks · August 15th, 2009, 12:33 AM

I made this video rig from an Ikea CD shelf, check out the blog here: I can make that....I think.

Jon Kon · January 21st, 2010, 01:23 PM

I really like the fig rig style stabilizers... I have a vest/arm/sled but sometimes its easier to pick up the lightweight rig and start shooting.

It does take a little practice... well all stabilizers really do.

August 4th, 2009, 12:21 PM	#1
Mark Dalzell New Boot Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 17	Fig Rig Yes/No? Anyone have or used the Fig Rig? I'm looking to pick one up. Any first hand advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Mark

August 4th, 2009, 01:14 PM	#2
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	What do you need to do with it? I like mine, but I had very specific uses for it. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

August 5th, 2009, 11:28 AM	#4
Richard Gooderick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 795	I don't know what you want to know Mark. It works very well in certain situations. Mostly when you are trying to cover stuff as it happens. It works even better with a lanc remote controller mounted on the Fig Rig with push autofocus and zoom. Ocean Pearl on Vimeo Here's something I shot last Sunday with a Sony A1 in a sports housing mounted in a Fig Rig. This combination is completely weatherproof. It was a tryout to see if it worked. A big problem with the sports housing is that you view the LCD screen on the camera via a mirror bolted onto the housing. Filming via a mirror image doesn't sound a big deal until you try it. Very difficult, but I think it can be learnt. And the LCD was difficult to see in bright sunlight. However the Fig Rig performed really well. You can see that the shots when I was standing up (not sitting down) in the boat are pretty smooth. The movement of the boat is absorbed by the flexing of your legs and arms. This works on dry land too. A lot of the shots aren't very level but that was mainly because of the mirror image problem (you tilt left and it tilts right, pan right and it pans left etc) and because the LCD was difficult to see. Another occasion when it was invaluable was filming a group of people in the countryside on a map reading course. It was easy to move around them smoothly and seamlessly. After a short while they forgot that I was there. It's not as smooth as Steadicam Merlin of course. I have one of these too. But the Merlin is even more specialised because you can't touch the camera controls or add microphones etc when you are using it. For relatively static work over long periods a shoulder mount or tripod would be better eg less strenuous and more stable. Horses for courses. As they say in the UK. __________________ http://www.gooderick.com

August 5th, 2009, 12:13 PM	#5
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	Richard, Nice, music matched perfectly too. I particularly liked the more distant shots in the second half of the video. I've used a Fig Rig (a good video mate I sometimes work with has one) and it's an excellent solution if you use a LANC controller and go to the gym before the shoot to build up the biceps for extended out in front of you type posture that is needed. I've used it with a "fully loaded" Sony HC1 (Sony wide angle, Cavison Hood and Rode Stereo Video mic, i.e. not very heavy) but would hesitate to recommend it for a heavier camera (like my EX3).... so you already know I'm no muscle man! __________________ Andy K Wilkinson - https://www.shootingimage.co.uk Cambridge (UK) Corporate Video Production

August 15th, 2009, 12:33 AM	#6
Walker Hicks Tourist Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 1	I made a Lerberg Rig (Ikea CD Self) I made this video rig from an Ikea CD shelf, check out the blog here: I can make that....I think.

August 5th, 2009, 03:53 AM	#3
Jo Ouwejan Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Veenendaal, Holland Posts: 225	I made my own imitation of the FigRig. A 100% copy as far as the normal use. It is fine for shooting things while walking. But one thing that needs to be said is, that you have to train yourself walking with bended knees. First trials mostly fail . .

January 21st, 2010, 01:23 PM	#7
Jon Kon New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Orlando, FL USA Posts: 13	I really like the fig rig style stabilizers... I have a vest/arm/sled but sometimes its easier to pick up the lightweight rig and start shooting. It does take a little practice... well all stabilizers really do.